Welcome to your all-in-one destination for every NPR Music podcast. We break down the best new albums to hit streaming each week on New Music Friday; we share the latest songs worthy of your playlists on All Songs Considered; there’s off-the-rails conversations (and chisme!) about Latin music on Alt.Latino. The NPR Music channel is your hub for new records, iconic artists and cult heroes, free of algorithms and full of surprises.
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Ratboys. Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Caribou's club alter-ego. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee about their favorite new albums out Friday, Feb. 6. The Starting 5 (00:00) Introduction & J. Cole, 'The Fall Off' (02:11) Ratboys, 'Singin' To An Empty Chair' (08:27) Beverly Glenn-Copeland, 'Laughter In Summer' (16:27) Daphni, 'Butterfly' (21:22) Charlotte Day Wilson, 'Patchwork' (26:39) John Craigie, 'I Swam Here' (31:26) The Lightning Round - Melissa Carper ...
Last Sunday, Bad Bunny's DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS became the first exclusively Spanish language album to win album of the year at the Grammys. This coming Sunday, the Puerto Rican megastar will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. For this week's episode, Anamaria Sayre and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento chat about what these two moments mean for Bad Bunny, the island of Puerto Rico, and the role of Latin music in America more broadly. This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the ...
The Beck rarity “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime” has officially hit streaming services and we can’t get enough of it. We’ve also got new (not-yet-announced) projects from Friko and Asher White, a witchy new cut from the duo Sibyl, the Polish composer and guitarist Szymon Wójcik and more. NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich joins host Robin Hilton. Featured songs and artists: (00:00) Intro and The Grammys (03:31) Beck: “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime,” from ‘Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime’ (12:29) Rat...
Enjoy Pop Culture Happy Hour's late-night recap of the 2026 Grammy Awards, featuring NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Hazel Cills, as well as pop culture journalist (and former NPR intern) Reanna Cruz. (00:00) Intro (00:46) Album of the year: Bad Bunny (05:24) Record of the year: Kendrick Lamar (08:51) Best new artist medley (13:52) Lady Gaga's three Grammys (18:44) Song of the year: Billie Eilish (21:05) Milestone moments and In Memoriam Credits Host: Stephen Thompson Guests: Hazel Cills, Reann...
Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon. Emily Scott Robinson. Blood harmonies from Irish brothers Ye Vagabonds. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Dre Castillo from KVNF in western Colorado about the best albums out Friday, Jan. 30. The Starting 5 (00:00) Introduction (01:21) Emily Scott Robinson, 'Appalachia' (08:58) Ye Vagabonds, 'All Tied Together' (16:05) Jordan Ward, 'Backward' (21:48) Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon, 'As Of Now' (27:18) Orestes Gomez, 'No me fui porque quise' The Lightning Round - Don Toliver,...
This month Alt.Latino's been looking at the music of Venezuela from a lot of different angles. For this episode, we’ve invited trumpet player and producer Ella Bric to be our guest DJ. She shared what she thinks are the most socially, culturally and politically impactful pieces of music to come out of Venezuela in the last half century. Ella Bric grew up in a migrant-rich town in Venezuela called San Antonio de los Altos, surrounded by a culturally-minded, socially conscious community. She’s now...
This week we're obsessing over the hilarious and harrowing “Where’s My Phone?” from Mitski, a slightly softer solo cut from Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, the confounding but wondrous wordplay of Father John Misty and more. NPR Music editor Hazel Cills joins host Robin Hilton. Featured songs and artists: (00:00) Mitski: “Where’s My Phone?” from ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’ (09:29) Robber Robber: “The Sound It Made,” from ‘Two Wheels Move the Soul’ (16:01) Father John Misty: “The Old Law” (single...
Lucinda Williams. Julian Lage. The debut from rising Americana star Kashus Culpepper. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Jessie Scott from WMOT in Nashville about the best new albums out Friday, Jan. 23. The Starting 5 (00:00) Intro: Cat Power, 'Redux' EP (02:14) Lucinda Williams, 'World's Gone Wrong' (07:36) Carolina Chocolate Drops, 'Genuine Negro Jig' (15th Anniversary Edition) (15:19) Kashus Culpepper, 'Act I' (20:00) The Lowest Pair, 'Always As Young As We'll Ever Be' (25:29) Julian...
Sometimes life imitates art - or at least the two can seem eerily connected. On Jan. 1, the Venezuelan band Rawayana released a new album, '¿Dónde Es El After?,' which began with a lyric that many interpreted as a wish for their country's leadership to be gone. A few days later, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was ousted from power and seized by American forces. For this week's episode, we chat with Fofo Story and Beto Montenegro of Rawayana to hear how the album came together, where its son...
Reports from late last year about the demise of MTV were overstated; but it got us thinking about the network’s legacy and most memorable moments. So, on this episode, we remember the best of MTV with a list of our top 20 videos from its golden era. If you’re listening on Spotify, tell us your favorite classic music video in the episode’s comments. You can support the show by leaving a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Or just tell a friend! Questions, comments, sug...
Ya Tseen. The Sha La Das. A mesmerizing collaboration between Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Alex Newman from KMHD in Portland to chat about the best albums out Friday, January 16. The Starting 5 (00:00) Intro & A$AP Rocky, 'Don't Be Dumb' (02:36) Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore, 'Tragic Magic' (07:43) The Sha La Das, 'Your Picture' (15:33) Ya Tseen, 'Stand On My Shoulders' (21:53) Shaking Hand, 'Shaking Hand' (27:43) Tyler Ramsey &...
Over the weekend, we lost a musician who shaped the lives of countless people: the late, great Bob Weir. He was a founding member of the Grateful Dead who played guitar, wrote and sang in the band for 30 years. After Jerry Garcia died and the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir kept the spirit of the music alive for three more decades, creating new Deadheads for generations to come — he brought John Mayer, Billy Strings and even the National Symphony Orchestra into the Grateful Dead universe. ...
Hosts Robin Hilton and Tom Huizenga dive into their favorite new music of 2026, starting with Buck Meek's intimate 'Gasoline' and exploring Pekka Kusisto's unique collaboration with Sam Amidon. They also discuss Joji's genre-bending pop, a haunting opera adaptation of Emily Dickinson's poetry, Jana Horn's meditative sounds, and Daniel Bjarnason's dark symphonic tribute. The episode showcases a wide array of genres from folk and indie rock to classical and experimental.
Stephen Thompson and Celia Gregory dive into the latest music releases, including the post-punk sounds of Dry Cleaning, the anthemic pop debut from Jenny on Holiday, and the introspective folk of Mon Rovîa. They also discuss Homestar's power-pop and Kris Davis's haunting jazz/neoclassical suite exploring climate change themes. A major highlight is the announcement of the 12th annual Tiny Desk Contest, with Celia Gregory joining as a judge.
Venezuela has a deep tradition of reflecting political change through music. This week, as the country reels from the seizure of its president by American forces, we explore the recent history of Venezuelan protest music, and from the Nineties right up until the present. First, we share an excerpt of an episode we made at another moment of political turmoil in Venezuela, in the summer of 2024. Then, we'll walk up to the present and see how some musicians across Latin America are responding to th...
We look ahead to some of the albums we’re most excited about for the new year, from sure bets like Dry Cleaning and Beverly Glenn-Copeland to rumored releases from some pretty big names. (00:00) Intro (01:26) Dry Cleaning: “Cruise Ship Designer,” from ‘Secret Love’ (05:03) Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: “Perpetual Adoration,” from ‘Tragic Magic’ (07:48) Ásgeir: “Smoke,” from ‘Julia’ (12:27) Joyce Manor: “All My Friends Are So Depressed,” from ‘I Used To Go To This Bar’ (17:45) Beverly Gl...
This special "New Music Friday" episode provides an abbreviated look at notable albums released in December, which might have been missed during the holidays. Host Stephen Thompson quickly reviews a diverse range of artists including electronic producer Fred again.., indie artist This Is Lorelai, industrial rock band HEALTH, veteran singer-songwriter Julianna Hatfield, dance music's DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ, and Daniel Lopatin's latest film score. It's a concise guide to catch up on recent music releases.
On the last episode of All Songs Considered for 2025, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich takes host Robin Hilton through an exceptional year in guitar music. From Gwenifer Raymond's beautiful and brash fingerstyle to Rafael Toral's stretched-out jazz standards, not to mention William Tyler's glitched hymns and Vernon Reid's ecstatic shred, there's so much diversity to be found in six strings. Featured songs and artists: • Gwenifer Raymond: "Bleak Night in Rabbit's Wood," from 'Last Night I Heard th...
In our final look back at our number one songs from the past 25 years, we visit Modesto, take an existential stroll through Petco, and find it all so confusing. Note: This is a recurring series in celebration of All Songs Considered’s 25th anniversary. A shorter version of this episode ran earlier in the year. Leave us a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a friend. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: al...
We take a motorcycle road trip to Wisconsin in our annual search for the true spirit of the season. And, of course, we meet some special guests along the way. Thanks for another amazing year, and happy holidays! Listen to the songs featured on this episode and more in our holiday playlist in Apple Music and Spotify . Tell a friend about the show and leave us a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: ...
We get in our fast car, drive like a red wine supernova, and run into Kristine from the 7th grade. Bad idea, right? Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy...
We asked and you answered. Earlier this month, we opened the polls and invited All Songs Considered 's listeners to tell us their top 5 records of the year. We tabulated all of the ballots, determined the top 10, and gave the results a proper countdown in this episode of All Songs . And while we usually include the albums we discuss in our episode notes, this time you'll have to listen to find out what made the list. (OK, fine, you can click here to see the top 50 vote-getters .) NPR Music criti...
The sheer volume and variety of Spanish-language music released every year is breathtaking. Even those of us with our ears to the ground are bound to miss things. So, in this episode we travel back through the year to resurface some of the remarkable albums that somehow didn't make it on the show. Catch Afro-Caribbean jazz, a history-spanning classical strings project, the return of Juana Molina and much, much more. Artists and albums featured in this episode: - Alex Cuba, 'Índole' - Enyel C, 'N...
NPR listeners share the one song that hit them the hardest this year, and tell us why they laughed, cried, or simply couldn’t stop listening to it. Featured songs and artists: 1. Annie DiRusso: "Back In Town," from Super Pedestrian 2. Tunde Adebimpe: "Drop," from Thee Black Boltz 3. Brandi Carlile: "You Without Me," from Returning To Myself 4. Bad Bunny: "DtMF," from DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS 5. Of Monsters And Men: "The End," from All Is Love And Pain In The Mouse Parade 6. Eph See: "Malachi The Ube...
We go to college and get the “big D,” hit the dance floor and do what we want, then head back to the radio. Is this a life filled with every possibility, or is it all just devastatingly mediocre? Note: This is a recurring series in celebration of All Songs Considered’s 25th anniversary. A shorter version of this episode ran earlier in the year. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or...
If we needed any more proof that the album isn't dead, 2025 was it. On this episode, Stephen Thompson is joined by Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen to run through 12 dazzling albums that stuck with the NPR Music team this year. And for an even deeper exploration, check out the full lists of our critics' best albums of 2025 here . Artists and albums featured on this episode: - Rosalía, 'LUX' - Wednesday, 'Bleeds' - Nourished by Time, 'The Passionate Ones' - Daniel Caesar, 'Son of Spergy' - Dave, ...
This year was bookended by two major statements in Latin music. In January, Bad Bunny released DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS , and followed that up with a 31-show residency in Puerto Rico over the summer. Then, in November, the Spanish vocalist Rosalía released her genre-defying masterpiece LUX , which sent legions of music lovers scrambling to try to grasp the magnitude of an album performed in 13 different languages. But they were only the tip of the iceberg of yet another year of mind-bending creativi...
When the dust settles on 2025, what songs will remain in heavy rotation? We look back at a dizzying amount of music and share some of our picks for the best tracks of the year. What you'll hear in this episode is an incredibly incomplete list that obviously just scratches the surface of all the incredible music that came out this year. For a more comprehensive breakdown of what we loved in 2025, check out NPR Music’s list of the 125 best songs . Artists and songs featured on this episode: 1. Dij...
We’ve got a funny feeling about the times, stay indoors (together alone), and dream about life on the other side. Note: This is a recurring series in celebration of All Songs Considered’s 25th anniversary. A shorter version of this episode ran earlier in the year. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for inf...
Dove Ellis. Melody's Echo Chamber. Editors' Tom Smith. Erin Wolf of Radio Milwaukee joins Stephen Thompson to discuss those albums and more on our last episode of New Music Friday this year. The Starting 5: Dove Ellis , Blizzard Melody's Echo Chamber , Unclouded Tom Smith , There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light TEED , Always With Me Voices from the Lake , II The Lightning Round: HTRK , String of Hearts (Songs of HTRK) Ben Marc , Who Cares Wins Isobel Waller-Bridge , Objects ...
